APC Berates FG For ‘Militarizing’ Osun Election

Some members of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State have condemned the deployment of heavy security operatives  to Osun State by the Federal Government for last Saturday’s governorship elections.
Speaking to The Tide, the State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr Chris Finborne, said the action of the Federal Government meant that the nation was far from practising democracy.
According to him, “the inherent danger in over guiding democracy is abuse due to weak institutions and that is why our security personnel are likely to find it attractive to arrest  and assault members of the opposition to please the government of the day”.
The Care-Taker Committee Chairman of the Port Harcourt City, Mr Charles Paul Ejekwu, also condemned the deployment of heavy security personnel including the military to a single state, saying it shows the nasty desperation of clueless president to hold on to power”.
Paul who noted that the deployment of military troop to Osun and intimidation and arrest of APC leaders in that state could not work as the people came out to elect their governor, commended the people of Osun for resisting intimidation and making the right choice.
Also Speaking, the Publicity Secrtary of the APC, United Kingdom chapter, Mr Kenneth Onyeji, accused the Federal Government of making a mockery of democracy in Nigeria.
Onyeji, in a statement, accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Federal Government of disobeying the 2005 Court of Appeal judgment which declared the use of the military for election duties unconstitutional.
He regretted that despite the judgment, the President and the PDP have continued to militarize the election process, condemning the arrest of the APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the media to aide National Leader of APC, Tinubu, Sunday Dare and other 150 APC members.
According to him, “What is taking place under the watch of President Jonathan is democratic tyranny. Nigerian is not practicing true democracy”.
He called on international communities and all lovers of democracy and friends of Nigeria around the world not to standby and silently watch Nigeria unravel and descent into darkness and draconia .
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission,(INEC), has declared the incumbent governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as the winner of the 2014 governorship elections.

The APC candidate won elections in 22 out of the 30 local government areas of the state, scoring a total of 394,684 votes to beat his main rival and candidate of the PDP Senator Iyiola Omisore.
Omisore, who scored 292,747 votes.